Stitch by Jaime Lewis (ebook reader online .txt) 📗

Mia’s skin and thinking that Doc said he didn’t think any were broken was a fucking miracle. He was disturbed at the sight of her injuries. The bruising on her skin looked so angry. The red, blue, and purple marks covered most of her upper body, front and back, including her shoulder blades. He hoped that Tink and Derek’s detective friend got a lead soon because the fucker responsible was going to pay.

Mia put her spoon down and yawned, and he knew the pain pill he had given her before dinner was working its way through her system.  Not only because he could see her getting sleepy, but she also seemed less tense, as if the pain wasn’t as bad as when he first brought her downstairs. She patted her belly.

“That was the best tomato rice soup I’ve had. Is that your recipe?” She asked him as she wiped her mouth with the napkin.

He nodded. “Well, it’s my mom’s. She used to make it for me when I would come inside from playing outside in the cold as a kid. It goes along great with a grilled cheese sandwich.”

She smiled. “You have to love a mom’s home cooking. I miss my mom’s cooking.  She tried to teach me, but cooking was one of those things I wasn’t interested in learning. Now I kinda regret it. Most of my cooking either comes in a box—frozen or dry with instructions.” She lifted her glass of water to her lips.  “But I will say when it comes to macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes; I am the master at making those from scratch.”

“Well, you will have to make them for me one night.”

Mia giggled. “That would be the dinner of champions. A starch and carbs fest.”

“Who cares. I love them both, and now you’ve piqued my interest, so you’ll have to make them. Once you’re better, that is.”  He said, giving her the eye saying she better not push it.

They talked a little longer while he cleaned up the kitchen. She argued with him when she tried to tidy up the table and wipe it down. She didn’t win that battle.  He explained that Tink’s contact at the NYPD was looking into her abduction and assault and filing a missing person’s report to see if that produced any leads. He really wanted to press her to see if she remembered anything she hadn’t mentioned last night, but her eyes were already getting droopy. When she yawned again and wobbled in the chair, he knew it was time to get her back upstairs and into bed.

He removed the ice pack from her ankle, set it on the table, then bent over, ready to scoop her up.  “Grab on,”  he said to her and smiled when she did without any hesitation.  Once he had her cradled in his arms, she laid her head on his shoulder. From the time it took to walk from the kitchen up to the bedroom, her eyes were already starting to close. He leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Sleep tight, sweetheart.”

He was just inches from her face, and her eyelids fluttered open, just enough to peek at him.

“Where are you sleeping?” She asked in a whisper, and he glanced at the chair next to the bed.

“This is your bed,” she told him.

He grinned. “And you belong in it.”

“Stitch, it’s big enough for both of us to share.”

Jesus, she was really testing his patience tonight. The thought of sharing his bed with her made his dick harden. “The chair is fine. For now.”

Thankfully she didn’t argue. He stood there and waited as she tried to fight the sleepiness, but eventually, her eyes slowly closed, and within minutes, her breathing evened out, indicating she was fast asleep and would be for hours. He had some paperwork he needed to catch up on. He was heading up part of a new training the base was conducting. He’d work on that for a couple of hours before he’d try and get some sleep himself.

Chapter Fifteen

Elijah sat behind his desk, staring at Detective Russ McDonnell from the NYPD as he tried to come to terms with what the detective just explained to him. He had to have misunderstood the detective, because there was no way Mia—his Mia—was considered a missing person. He cleared his throat before leaning forward in his chair.

“Detective, are you certain we’re talking about the same Mia Chambers?  A doctor with this clinic.”

“I’m afraid so. She was due at her brother’s place Thanksgiving morning but never arrived on her scheduled flight. He and other family members tried contacting her but to no avail. After twenty-four hours of no contact, they contacted the NYPD, and officers were sent to her apartment, which they found empty. Because of the holiday, it’s been hard to contact her neighbors, friends, and coworkers. That is why I’m here so early today.”

He suddenly felt as if he could be considered a suspect. In Willow’s case, yes, but he honestly had no idea where Mia could be. It was upsetting.

“If she never arrived at her brother’s, that means she’s been missing for five days now.”

“That is why the police and her family are very concerned about her well-being.”

“Well, how can I help?”

“I am hoping I can ask you a few questions.”

Elijah knew he had to be careful. As much as he was concerned about Mia, he also had to be cautious while providing any information in case the detective would be looking to lure him into a trap. On the other hand, he also couldn’t blow the police off, as that would surely send a red flag up and make them take a closer look at him.

“Sure.”

“When was the last time you saw or spoke with Dr. Chambers?”

Elijah explained about seeing her at the Fur Ball, then at work the following day. He omitted the part about her showing up at the clinic after the gala because his cousin was an irresponsible idiot.

“So, you two were on